The school–association agreement: what it must contain
Commitments, premises, grants, use of the school's name, termination: the clauses of an agreement between an institution and its associations.
A school lends rooms to its associations, pays them grants and lets them use its name. The associations, for their part, run campus life. Without a document that sets the rules, each new board has to rediscover them, and every incident turns into a debate. That is what the school–association agreement is for: writing down, once, who does what.
Convention BDE/École
Entre les parties. L'établissement [nom de l'école], représenté par [représentant] en qualité de [qualité], dont le siège est situé à [adresse], ci-après dénommé « l'Établissement »,
Et l'association [nom de l'association], représentée par [représentant] en qualité de [qualité], ci-après dénommée « l'Association ».
Article 1 — Objet. La présente convention définit les conditions dans lesquelles l'Établissement reconnaît l'Association comme [statut] et les modalités de leur collaboration.
Why have an agreement between the school and the association
The agreement clarifies the relationship, in both directions:
- the school knows what the association undertakes to do (insurance, reporting, compliance with the rules) and can follow up on those commitments;
- the association knows what it can expect (premises, grant, communication) and on what conditions;
- if something goes wrong, both sides can refer to it, rather than relying on the memory of a former board.
It becomes mandatory in one specific case: when an administrative authority pays an association a grant of more than €23,000 a year, an agreement must set out its purpose, its amount and the conditions for its use (article 10 of the French law of 12 April 2000).
This obligation covers grants paid by an administrative authority, which includes public institutions. A private institution is not bound by this text, but it has the same practical reasons to sign an agreement. Below the threshold, nothing prevents the parties from signing one: it is in fact the most common practice.
It is also worth recalling what the agreement does not change. The association remains a separate legal entity from the school, with its own bylaws, its own officers, its own bank account and its own liability. The agreement organises a relationship between two parties; it does not turn the association into a department of the institution.
The essential clauses
Identification of the parties. The school, the association (name, RNA number (national register of associations), registered office), and the signatories with their capacity.
Purpose and term. What the agreement covers, for how long (often one academic year), and how it is renewed.
Commitments of the association. For example:
- keeping its bylaws and the composition of its board up to date, and informing the school of them;
- holding civil liability insurance, and providing the certificate every year;
- declaring its events in advance, following the school's procedure;
- presenting an activity report and a financial report every year;
- complying with the school's internal rules and with the regulations (hazing, alcohol, safety).
Commitments of the school. Premises, equipment, administrative support, access to communication tools, and possibly a grant.
On the regulations, it is better to name the subjects than to refer to "the law in force". Hazing is a criminal offence (articles 225-16-1 to 225-16-3 of the French Criminal Code), and the sale of alcohol follows precise rules: see running a welcome weekend (WEI) without things going wrong and selling alcohol at a student party.
Premises and equipment made available
Specify which premises, at what times, for what uses, and who holds the keys. Also state who is liable for any damage, and what the association must restore before leaving. A signed list of the equipment on loan avoids many discussions at the end of the year.
If the association sets its registered office at the school's address, the agreement must say so expressly, and state what happens to that address if the agreement ends.
Grants: conditions and reporting
If the school pays a grant, the agreement sets its conditions: amount or method of calculation, payment schedule, eligible expenses, and the report expected at the end of the financial year. For a public grant of more than €23,000, a financial report must be submitted within six months of the end of the financial year. See managing a school's grants.
On the association's side, the application itself needs preparing: see applying to your school for a grant.
Communication and use of the school's name
May the association use the school's name and logo? On which materials, with what approval? May it approach partners by presenting itself as "the school's association"? Write it down, whichever way the answer goes.
Term, renewal, termination
Set out how the agreement ends: on its expiry date, by mutual consent, or in the event of a serious breach, after a formal notice (mise en demeure) that has gone unheeded. State what then happens to the premises and to any sums paid but not used.
The standard outline of a school–association agreement
A readable agreement always follows more or less the same order. This outline can serve as a table of contents:
- Preamble — who the parties are, and why they are signing an agreement.
- Purpose — what the agreement covers, and what it does not.
- Commitments of the association — bylaws and board up to date, insurance, declaration of events, reports, compliance with the rules.
- Commitments of the school — premises, equipment, communication, named contact.
- Premises and equipment — list, times, keys, inventory of condition, restoration.
- Financial support — amount or method of calculation, schedule, eligible expenses, supporting documents.
- Name, logo, communication — authorised materials, approval, approaching partners.
- Events — notice period for declarations, documents to provide, rules on alcohol and safety.
- Follow-up — contacts on both sides, annual meeting, change of board.
- Term, renewal, termination — expiry, formal notice, what happens to the premises and the funds.
- Appendices — list of equipment, rules for association life, event declaration procedure.
An example of a follow-up clause, short and effective:
Template translated for reference: the document you file or sign in France must be written in French.
The association informs the school of any change in the composition of its board within [number] days, and sends it the minutes of the corresponding general meeting. This agreement continues with the new board, without any need to sign it again.
A worked example: the theatre association
A theatre association with 40 members signs an agreement with its school for the academic year.
- Premises: lecture theatre B, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 pm to 9 pm, outside exam periods. Two keys, handed to the president and the technical manager, against signature.
- Equipment: six spotlights and a control desk, listed in an appendix, returned in June.
- Grant: €1,800, paid in two instalments. €1,200 in October, on signature; €600 in February, after a progress report has been submitted.
- Eligible expenses: costumes, sets, royalties, equipment hire. Meals and outings are not included.
- In return: two performances open to all students, and a mention of the school on the poster, after approval by the communications department.
- Reporting: an activity report and a financial report of one page each, submitted before 30 June.
The amount is far below the €23,000 threshold: the agreement is not required by law. Yet it avoids three predictable discussions: who has the keys, what the grant pays for, and when the balance is paid.
Before signing: the checklist
On the association's side
- the bylaws and the declaration of the current board are up to date;
- the insurance certificate for the year is available;
- the signatory is indeed the person the bylaws authorise to commit the association;
- each commitment can be kept by a board of students, including during exam periods;
- the next board will know where to find the agreement: see the board handover.
On the school's side
- the contact person for associations is named in the agreement;
- the premises and equipment on loan are listed;
- the payment conditions and the expected report are written down;
- the event declaration procedure is appended;
- the same template applies to all associations, with an appendix specific to each one.
Frequently asked questions
Is the school–association agreement mandatory?
It is when an administrative authority pays the association more than €23,000 in grants a year (article 10 of the French law of 12 April 2000). In other cases, it is the institution's choice. Many schools make it a condition for access to premises or grants.
Who signs the agreement?
For the school, its management or the person who has been given delegated authority. For the association, its representative under the bylaws, most often the president. State the name and capacity of each signatory.
Does the agreement have to be signed again every time the board changes?
No: it is the association, as a legal entity, that is bound, not the president personally. The agreement continues until its expiry date. The new board does, however, need to know about it, and the school must be informed of the change.
What happens if the association does not keep its commitments?
The agreement should provide for this: a written reminder, a formal notice, then suspension of access to the premises or of payments, and termination as a last resort. A scale written in advance is fairer, for both parties, than a decision taken in the heat of an incident.
With toGaether
In toGaether, the school generates the agreements for all its associations in one go, as PDFs, and sends them out. Each association sees its agreement file: up-to-date bylaws, récépissé (acknowledgement of filing) of its declaration, insurance certificate, complete board. The school tracks the status of each file and chases up missing documents.
This article gives general guidance; the exact content of an agreement depends on the institution's status and on its student life policy.
